My journey as a female athlete started at age 5 and currently at age 33, I still enjoy playing the game. Softball, for me, was life. It was my inspiration and has taught me so much more than just the game. Although softball was my main sport, in high school I also played tennis, basketball, and participated in various events in women’s track and field.

As a little girl, it was my dream to become a college softball athlete and I put in years of hard work, training, and discipline to achieve this goal. I attended Shelton State Community College on a full softball scholarship, which isn’t always a possibility for female athletes. I earned this as a female.

I absolutely do not agree with a biological male competing in any sporting event equally as a female. This takes away what little time women have to be a part of the game. Men are genetically built to be stronger than women, and just because they are lacking in their own division it shouldn’t ever be acceptable for them to then participate in a women’s sport to just excel.

Even now in my adult years, I play women’s slow pitch softball and we have to compete and play on the same regulation fields as men. Women rarely hit home-runs. However, in watching the men play the same exact game [on those fields] they have had to limit home-runs per game because men hit them with little-to-no-effort.

The fact that it could even be suggested that a male should be allowed to take away something that you, as a little girl, had worked your whole life training countless hours is sickening. Be better, NCAA.